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Anthony Gharib, ESPN
The New York City marathon Sunday didn’t just impact the city streets. The Detroit Pistons had to be flexible for their commute to the Barclays Center ahead of their matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.
The marathon forced the Pistons to use the city’s subway system to get to the Nets’ arena.
With a 3:30 p.m. ET start time, Detroit hopped on the No. 3 train for a reliable form of transportation across the city. Players such as Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. had no choice but to bring their game day luggage onto the subway with them.
Members of the organization made sure to watch their heads while exiting and stay orderly until their stop.
Seated alongside fellow New Yorkers, the scene was reminiscent of the Cleveland Cavaliers doing the same after a shootaround in 2017.
The final wave of the NYC Marathon began at 11:30 a.m. and more than 50,000 participants ran the 26.2 miles through five boroughs.
Detroit’s detour paid off in the end. The Pistons defeated the Nets 106-92 for their second win of the season. Six players scored in double figures, including a team-high 18 points from Cade Cunningham. It concluded the team’s trip in the Big Apple, as they faced the New York Knicks on Friday.